Jennifer Bell on taking musical risks at the Bristol Proms

2 August 2013, 16:31 | Updated: 15 December 2016, 11:50

Exploring intimate stories through song, Jennifer Bell talks internet dating, childhood memories, and personal journeys - told through the medium of music at the Bristol Proms.

It's a familiar sight: a choir of singers standing in a horseshoe, or in a line, performing a choral work. While there's nothing wrong with that, Jennifer Bell is keen to shake up the world of classical singing a little, with her new production In a Town.

She shared the idea behind the production with Jane Jones, explaining how she's approached  this raw and intimate piece of musical theatre. Each song is a standalone piece, like a song cycle, or a music video, where the singers aren't performing a role - they're acting as themselves on stage, introducing their own personal stories.

"I wanted to go down the road of being evocative with the music rather than trying to make conventional piece of music theatre," she said. "I think it's hugely risky for that reason. I'm hoping that we've created a piece of work that has a language that has integrity all the way through."

Reading this on the Classic FM app? Watch the video on YouTube here